MONTANA CLUB

During Helena’s mining boom of the 1880’s, there were more millionaires per capita than anywhere in the world. These millionaires needed somewhere to congregate where they could light each other’s cigars with $100 bills. That place would be the Montana Club.

The requirements for membership were simple: millionaires only. At one time the club had 134 members. They met at the club and feasted on Blue Point oysters, Russian caviar, roasted bald eagle, and diamond-encrusted king crab served in ivory saucers with melted polar bear butter and drank thousand year-old-scotch after dinner.

The membership requirements have been somewhat relaxed in this current day: A $200 initiation fee gets you in, and the dues are about $70 a month.

These millionaires also built some really gorgeous homes in Helena. Here is just a sampling of what you can see.

This house had the first elevator in Helena. Notice the gargoyles on the front porch.

Many of these mansions still have the hitching posts out front where you can tie up your horse when you come to visit.